How to take the stress out of children’s party planning
February kicks off the first of the children’s birthdays with Eva turning six in three weeks time. Despite vowing to tone down the birthday parties each year, you can guarantee, without fail, that by the time their birthdays come around I will be booking another and having thirty very excited children tearing round our local community centre, soft play or even, and it has been done on more than one occasion, our home!
This year I decided that enough was enough and it was time to bring in the experts – my fellow parent bloggers! I asked them for their top tips on taking the stress out of party party planning, and they had some great advice!
Get an entertainer! You can use sites like Headliner to find one in your area in just a few clicks, taking all of the stress out of planning! – Kim
Hire a hall. Kids house parties are always chaos with all those children running around in a small space! – Maria
Give cupcakes instead of slicing and bagging up thirty portions of birthday cake! – Beth
Try to avoid filling party bags with sweets or noisy plastic toys – other parents won’t appreciate it even if the kids do! Opt for something useful like colouring books and pencils which are cheaper and less time consuming to sort. – Emma-Louise
Order the party food online to be delivered. Saves going to the supermarket! – Erica
Make up lunch boxes for each individual child. You will make far less and won’t be left with any waste. – Laura
Share the party with a friend! If you know anyone who has children the same age see if you can host together. Half the cost, half the jobs, half the stress! – Helen
Keep it short! Two hours is too long, one and a half is perfect. The kids have had enough by then and avoids that chaotic last half an hour. – Amy
Personally I think it takes a lot of stress out when you invite less people. Don’t feel pressure to invite thirty kids. We keep ours small, my daughters party is coming up and it will be just six kids which is so much more manageable! – Nyomi
Insist on RSVPs! There is nothing more annoying than people who don’t tell you if they’re coming or not! – Georgina
I’m hoping that I can take all of this advice on board and make sure that this year there is no last minute dash for a cake or moments of panic as to how to entertain thirty hyped up six years olds. I’m going to hire a hall, book a magician and sit back and watch Eva enjoying her special day. And I can’t wait!!
** This is a collaborative post **
Great tips, kids parties can be super stressful!
We’ve been at one today and I feel exhausted from just watching! xx
I’ve never been the mum to have birthday parties at home. Too much stress about the mess, the noise and the chaos. I’m all for booking a hall and hiring an entertainer.
Yes I think it’s always easier to let someone else do the hard work! xx
I’ll definitely be following these tips as we prepare for the Lion’s party in a couple of months. It’s been a while since I’ve done a full scale children’s party x
Parties can be stressful! I just booked Evas yesterday! xx
I love the idea of giving cupcakes rather than having to slice up a big cake!
We did it last year and it was so much easier!! xx
I am not there yet, but it does sound stressful. I am sure that it can also be greatly enjoyable (and again the key word is organisation).
Great post
Mika
Yes! It’s important to plan way in advance! xx
We have a birthday in Feb too! Brilliant tips xx
Love the party planning tips here. Organising a child’s party can be really stressful sometimes.
It really can! I’ve booked Eva’s and am hoping it’s not quite as stressful this year! xx
Good tips for birthday parties. I always planning birthdays so fun and hosting can be an opportunity to bring everyone together and meet friends that your may not have seen in a while. There are also parties that can be easier, maybe a pizzas and a movie.
Yes I agree, sometimes the simple parties are the most fun! xx
Good tips by everyone. I did one party at home and I’ll never be doing it again. Hahaha
Hahaha yes!! I think we’ve all been there!
Great post! We always hire a hall – well – only up to to P3 and then the kids have always done something different like bowling with their closest friends followed by pizza etc.
Yes I think they all reach an age where they start to have a smaller group of friends for activities.xx
I always go to town on the kids birthdays as once they get to a certain age they just don’t want them anymore
Yes I agree, they soon reach an age where they dont want parties at all! xx
Thanks for sharing some great ideas designed to take the stress out of hosting kids parties. I like the idea of cupcakes rather than bagging up slices of birthday cake – we did that for our wedding!
Yes we did too! It’s so much easier and everyone loves a cupcake! xx
Oh gosh after my one and only party at home where I was finding party food stuffed in things a week later I never did it like that again. I always go for party packages to minimise all the hassle so that I can be the mum and take pics and join in the fun. So much better 🙂
Yes! I have done the same this time for Eva, it was just so much easier to let somebody else bear the load! xx
Great tips – I have to say I hold Pickle’s parties at a local play centre, as do his friends. So hassle free! Kaz
We’ve done a few like that too, it’s so much easier! xx
Great tips! I don’t have kids, but I can imagine how stressful planning a child’s party could be! I know I’d probably go completely overboard and drive myself crazy, trying to get everything perfect! xx
Hahaha yes, it’s very easy to get carried away! xx
Great tips. My eldest is 4 in April and I haven’t decided if I’m brave enough to plan a party yet!
Ahh good luck with it! xx
We’re almost out of the woods where kids parties are concerned. It was the RSVPs that used to drive me nuts. Everyone tells you practically the day you have to confirm numbers. Or you get the ones who drop out on the day because something more exciting cropped up. Nightmare!
YES!! Or they just don’t tell you at all and you’re left chasing them!! Grrrr!! xx
There are some great tips here! Thanks for including mine too x
Thank you for sharing your tip Emma! xx
Those cakes look unreal!
These are some great tips!
It can always be stressful for parties! But rewarding all the same! xx
Yes always worth it in the end! xx